Prick the potato and bake it in the microwave for 7–10 minutes until soft. Leave to cool, then cut it in half and scoop out the flesh – you will need 250 g/9 oz potato.

Put the cool potato and remaining ingredients (except the flour and the oil) in the bowl of a food processor and blitz until chopped. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, season lightly with salt and pepper (if using) and shape it into 15 equal-sized balls.

Place the flour in a bowl and lightly coat the balls in flour. Transfer them to plate and chill for 15 minutes.

Heat the oil in a frying pan until hot. Fry the balls for about 2 minutes until golden all over and heated through. Serve with cucumber sticks and halved cherry tomatoes, or a mayonnaise dip with sweet chilli sauce.

Alternatively preheat an oven to 180C / 160C Fan and cook the chicken balls for about 15 minutes turning halfway through until cooked through

These little balls are a fantastic way to pack in veggies and are ideal finger food. They are also ideal for batch-cooking and freezing, in readiness for those busy days. Just pop them in a plastic freezer box, separating each layer with greaseproof paper, and reheat from frozen in the oven or microwave.

Prep Time:

30 minutes

Cook Time:

15 minutes

Makes:

15

Suitable for Freezing

Ingredients

1 large white potato (about 440 g/15 oz)

40g / 1½oz dried or Panko breadcrumbs

50g / 2oz carrot, grated

4 spring onions, chopped

50g / 2oz brown mushrooms, chopped

40g / 1½oz grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon sweet chilli sauce

1–2 tablespoons plain flour

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

Method

Prick the potato and bake it in the microwave for 7–10 minutes until soft. Leave to cool, then cut it in half and scoop out the flesh – you will need 250 g/9 oz potato.

Put the cool potato and remaining ingredients (except the flour and the oil) in the bowl of a food processor and blitz until chopped. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, season lightly with salt and pepper (if using) and shape it into 15 equal-sized balls.

Place the flour in a bowl and lightly coat the balls in flour. Transfer them to plate and chill for 15 minutes.

Heat the oil in a frying pan until hot. Fry the balls for about 2 minutes until golden all over and heated through. Serve with cucumber sticks and halved cherry tomatoes, or a mayonnaise dip with sweet chilli sauce.

Alternatively preheat an oven to 180C / 160C Fan and cook the chicken balls for about 15 minutes turning halfway through until cooked through

It’s absolutely normal to feel a little anxious when starting out with first foods for BLW..

First foods should be cooked until soft but not too mushy . Babies around 6 months tend to hold food in their fist so fairly long pieces around 5 cm stand a better chance of being picked up…

Some parents feel a need to go with one method or the other but you don’t have to choose … At around 6 months you can combine purées and finger foods if you feel that is right for your baby .

It’s important to know that critical nutrients like salmon and red meat or a vegetarian source of iron are important to include in your baby’s diet from 6 months …

I believe that parents know best what will suit their child
.
These are some recipes from my Baby Led Weaning Book … Veggie Balls , Broccoli Chicken and Potato Bites and Chicken. Teriyaki Sausages (for slightly older babies ) .. The good thing is that all the recipes are delicious and can be enjoyed by the whole family … see link in my Bio to my book and Happy Weaning A x